Protective Role of Donor KIR B Haplotype in Cytomegalovirus Reactivation Following T-Cell-Depleted Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is a major complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Natural killer (NK) cells help control CMV through killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their HLA ligands, but donor-derived CMV-specific T-cells may confound the interpretation of NK-mediated effects. Methods: We analyzed 276 HLA-matched (10/10) adults receiving ATG-based T-cell-depleted myeloablative HSCT with a known donor and recipient CMV serostatus. The donor and recipient KIR genotypes were scored by the Cooley B-content score (0–4; ≥2 = high). Clinically significant CMV reactivation (plasma viral load > 25,000 IU/mL, the institutional threshold for pre-emptive therapy) was analyzed with Fine–Gray competing-risks regression, stratified by the donor–recipient serostatus. Results: In seronegative-donor/seropositive-recipient (D−R+) pairs (n = 68), a high donor KIR B-content score was associated with a significantly lower reactivation risk (sub-hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24–0.91; p = 0.024). No effect was seen in D+R+ pairs (n = 82; SHR, 0.65; p = 0.241); D+R− (n = 28) had too few events to model. A donor Tel-AA/recipient Tel-B+ mismatch was independently associated with a higher reactivation risk (adjusted HR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.33–4.37; p = 0.004). The overall survival was unaffected in either stratum. Conclusions: A high donor KIR B-content score protects against CMV reactivation in D−R+, but not D+R+, HSCT recipients, consistent with NK dominance when CMV-specific donor T-cells are sparse. A specific donor–recipient telomeric mismatch independently modifies the risk. Donor KIR profiling warrants prospective evaluation in donor-selection algorithms.